(3GL, "high level language") A language designed to be easier for a human to understand, including things like named variables. A fragment might be let c = c + 2 * d Fortran, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of thissort of language. Most "modern" languages (BAsIC, C, C++) are third generation. Most 3GLssupport structured programming. see also second generation language, {fourth generation language}. (1996-05-30)